Skirt

While the most common garment for Native American men was a breechclout,
or loincloth, for women it was the skirt. Although Native American women
did throw a cloak around their shoulders for warmth, the skirt was often
worn without any covering for the upper body. Skirts were commonly
knee-length or longer. The simplest skirts were made of grasses tied to a
waist string; these were worn mostly by Indian tribes along the coasts of
North America. Other styles included a wraparound leather skirt, an apron
tied at the back, two aprons tied to cover both the front and the back,
and
woven and sewn patchwork skirts. Made of leather, grasses, feathers,
bark, and later, woven cotton or other fabric, skirts were embellished
with fringe, embroidery, beadwork, tassels, and other ornaments. As Native
Americans had more contact with Europeans, their skirt styles changed to
mimic the flowing European styles, and many women began wearing leather or
cloth dresses that covered their breasts. Before long, purchased fabric
skirts replaced handmade leather or woven skirts for many.